Technik News

Das Blog zu IT, Mobilfunk & Internet

Free File Hosting – Free Online Storage

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What is file hosting, you ask? Well, it is quite an easy concept, really. File hosting is a process that allows users, such as yourself, to upload files and images online. These files and images are uploaded and then can be accessed by typing in the web address that was assigned to the files when they were uploaded. By visiting this address, these files can be seen and/or downloaded at any time and from any location.

File hosting is a fairly simply process by which a computer that is acting as a server takes in the files that are being uploaded to it and saves that information onto its hard drive. This data, once on the server, is able to be accessed like any other information on the web. The server assigns that data a web address from which it can be accessed. When a user visits that address, the data that is stored on the hard drive of the server can then be downloaded as many times as necessary from anywhere in the world.

The usefulness of such a tool is only too obvious. One is able to easily upload a picture to be able to share with their friends anywhere in the world at the click of a button. Having trouble printing a document or just need to be able to open it elsewhere and have no other way to transport it? Simple, upload the document and download it from another location with ease. File hosting allows users the ability to share and host their files with ease.

The best part about most online file hosting is that, unlike regular web hosting, it is free.

We’re go for launch!

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I haven’t blogged much the last few days, basically because I’ve been working 23 hour days, getting ready to launch Whisher (the 24th hour was spent going to get coffee). Some of you have noticed that we put a countdown clock at whisher.com, which shows the time left until we finally go live. I’ve refrained from talking too much about the project here, as in the past it has drawn some heat, apart the fact that we have been keeping it in stealth mode (or as much as possible!).

The official launch of Whisher is during DEMO 2007, the launch event for new startups, or companies that want to launch new products and services. The idea of DEMO is to give a level playing field to 60 companies to present their new products, regardless of how much money they have. Google would have exactly the same counter at the demonstrator pavillion as an angel-funded startup. No special signs or certain types of swag are allowed either. During the event, you are given a 6-minute slot on the presentation stage, where you will perform a live demonstration of your product. Again, canned demos, flash or PowerPoint slides are not allowed – it has to be live. This puts quite a bit of pressure on you, but also ensures that everything presented at DEMO is true, not a future maybe product.

So, if you come to DEMO, see you there, if not, I’ll keep you updated – also, the crew of Wireless Is Fun is doing a live coverage of the launch – thanks guys!

The end of an excellent installer

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I read with sadness that Tarma have decided to discontinue development of their QuickInstall and ExpertInstall applications. These are really excellent alternatives to heavyweights like InstallShield, which can cost thousands of dollars, and do pretty much everything you’d want out of a normal installer for your application. You can run custom actions at any point during the install, add drivers and other stuff you want to tag along your app, and more. Good luck guys, and thanks for all the fish!

FON, ranked the worst company by readers of El Mundo, Spain’s top online newspaper

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It will not surprise some people, but after the online newspaper El Mundo, the most read online news source in Spain, ran a poll to rank the best and worst  companies of 2006, FON came as the winner in the ‘worst’ category (scroll down a bit, about half way down). With comments such as ‘a project with no future’ and ‘hot air’, readers gave enough bad marks to put FON in the spot. The poll was open, so people could vote for any company they wanted, there was no shortlist or closed options.
I have been very critic with FON in the past, and I have also been accused of all sorts of things in relation to the criticism, but I know there are a lot of people out there upset with the way things have been running. They have had many chances to fix their problems, it’s not that hard to implement a decent customer service, or to fulfill orders in reasonable time, it just takes good management and a competent team. I am sure there are many very competent people at FON, who work really hard every day to make things happen, but their efforts have sadly not transpired.
As for the picture, I hope it doesn’t offend anyone, but since there was no response by Martin to my comments on his blog after his acid post, or after reporting the vulnerability in their maps service, I don’t have any moral issue about making fun of FON (no pun intended…well…sort of).

Trying to hire hackers to commit a crime is a bad idea

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This is rather funny, be it not because it involves a US congressman, Denny Rehberg of Montana, and his communications director. Apparently, Rehberg was not happy with the grades he got while at Texas Christian University, and thus started to shop around for a hacker that would break into the institution’s systems to upgrade his grades. He contacted none other than attrition.org, where the entire email exchange has been posted. It is a rather fun read if you are a true hacker – not to be confused with a criminal, who are into doing these sort of things – and a warning to clueless politicians.

The Fonera, hacked to run OpenWRT

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It was only a matter of time until the developers of open-source firmware OpenWRT and DD-WRT managed to port the OS to the Fonera, which is based on an Atheros chipset. As described in this thread of the DD-WRT forums, there is a firmware package available for download, which can be flashed onto the Fonera, thus replacing FON’s original firmware and functionality. I think it will be a matter of time until we see reflashed Foneras on eBay, just like we saw Linksys once upon a time.

The hack is not for the faint-hearted, and so you risk bricking your router if the flashing fails – there is still a way to de-brick using the serial port, but in any case, don’t try this at home unless you know what you are doing. We are on the cutting edge of the development, which eventually trickles down into easier-to-follow HOWTOs and step-by-step guides.